


Suddenly It's Love

by anythingblue



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Drinking, Fluff, House Party, M/M, My First Work in This Fandom, One-Sided Attraction, Pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-18 14:08:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29859258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anythingblue/pseuds/anythingblue
Summary: Lee Donghyuck has been in love with his best friend, Na Jaemin, but he couldn't muster the courage to tell him. When he decided to finally tell him after 1276242016 years, then things took a wrong turn. Instead his life crossed paths with the Canadian Korean first year student named Mark Lee. Will he give up his love for his best friend? Or will perseverance lead to a bright and lovely future for him?
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Suh Youngho | Johnny, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan & Mark Lee, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Na Jaemin, Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin
Kudos: 22





	1. If Frozen Ice Cream Could End a Jealousy

**Author's Note:**

> Hello dreamzens! This is my first work ever so please be kind to me uwu and also give lots of love and support, thank you!
> 
> (Will update every Saturday, never mind that it's first published on a Friday lol)

Na Jaemin is Lee Donghyuck's best friend. No, scratch that. Lee Donghyuck is Na Jaemin's best friend, and he doesn't like that, because he likes Jaemin.

Nonetheless they're really good friends. They do things such as sticking gums on the soles of each other’s shoes, punching and kicking faces during movie marathons, to adding salt to their coffees when one wasn’t looking.

Right, best friends.

But through these acts, Donghyuck hid his feelings by being playful, sneaky, and most importantly - by being a brat. It was his forte, a drama he knows by heart, playing the role of a best friend who’s secretly in love. He was known for being loud, pulling pranks, and performing weird antics that would only make Jaemin roll his eyes or give Donghyuck a blank stare.

But this role was tiring Donghyuck. The wet pillows at night and the swollen eyes every morning, the one-sided suffering, and the overwhelming feeling that could never be vented out. It was stored in for too long that any emotional constipation might just be blown to Jaemin. 

"I have to do something." He said to himself. Either he suck it up and fess up to Jaemin, or just keep playing the role that he had been familiar with. 

But thinking about it makes all the bad what-ifs come lurking in his mind. 

"What if I confess, but Jaemin doesn't like me back?"

"What if he knows about it, it will be awkward for us, and ruin our friendship?"

But, 

"What if I confess and he likes me back?"

"But what if we get into relationship, and we break up and lose our friendship in the end?!"

He shook his head. Lately he's being pessimistic, like anything could go wrong in an instant, that anything he'd do would only give a negative result. Like when he studied for the final exams but he kept thinking and saying "what if I'd fail?", but Jaemin had always been there to assure him since he's been studying well lately.

"What if I didn't study enough? And still fail!"

Well with that, Jaemin would give his friend all the space and time he needed. And if there were things Jaemin wanted to do, he'd still try to include Donghyuck so that he could relieve some stress and chill for a moment.

A week before the final exams, Jaemin tried to invite Donghyuck for an ice cream after his class ended. He was waiting outside the room, and as the students started emptying the room, he saw his friend walking looking very tired.

"Hey." Jaemin greeted with a smile. Donghyuck smiled back, but it never lasted longer than two seconds and he rolled his eyes and started rambling about his day. 

"I wish this all to be over by tomorrow already, ugh."

Jaemin chuckled at his dramatic friend, because if anyone’s supposed to be dramatic, that should Jaemin himself, because he's a drama major. 

"Hyuck, we're just first year students. How are you gonna survive the next three years of college if you keep complaining like that?" Donghyuck just rolled his eyes as they started walking down the hall, and tried to weakly kick his friend's leg, because he's tired to retaliate verbally. 

"Anyways, let's get some ice cream, at our favorite place." Just the right timing. Donghyuck perked up at this because - hey, he'd been craving ice cream lately. Though Jaemin seemed to reluctantly add something. "By the way, Jeno will come with us, said he'd also want to have some ice cream. Guess everyone's stress lately with the upcoming test."

Upon hearing Jaemin mentioning Jeno's name, Donghyuck seemed to deflate. If he's tired due to studying till late at night, now he seemed five times more tired, if possible hundred times more. He knows it's exaggerated but he suddenly just felt flipped and there's nothing he'd like to do now other than to drag his limbs to his dorm room and sleep till the world ends. He'd probably weep up till he's sound asleep, and with an empty stomach too. 

"You're coming, right?" The hesitation was evident in Jaemin's voice and it's visible in his face, though what made him reluctant - Donghyuck didn't know. And he didn't need to know. 

"Sorry, Jaem, I still had to finish a project…," lie, " …due before the exams, which is by the end of the week." A. Big. Fat. Lie. Donghyuck had said to himself that he had to finish the project first, so that he could study for the finals without anything to think about. (The project was finished a few days ago.) 

"Hyuck, you have to relax for a while. Have you seen yourself in the mirror? You looked very... tired." Jaemin's face is full of concern, and Donghyuck couldn’t seem to look at his friend's face then, because he’d just give in, and go to the ice cream parlor with Jeno. And he might just snap off at them, or he might just snap Jeno's neck. (Just kidding. Although, on second thoughts, that does seem to be a good idea.)

"You've been studying hard lately, you'll surely ace the test. Just chill for a while, y'know? And have some ice cream with me, and with Jeno too." Now this irritated him further, especially the way Jaemin said Jeno's name with a certain drag to it, like it meant something.

"Jeno this, Jeno that." Donghyuck mumbled to himself on his way to the dorm, after he refused Jaemin and had to make it look like his friend couldn’t convinced him well enough for him to come along. "Hyuck, I'll treat you" "Double, no triple scoop of your favorite flavor!” "Just please come Hyuck." And so on with Jaemin's pleadings that almost made Donghyuck lose the battle. 

Lately there's a Donghyuck who notices the slightest and smallest things that shouldn't have mattered. Things that shouldn’t concerned his well-being. But since it involves his beloved Na Jaemin, he knew he just have to do something.

Like on the first case: Huang Renjun, a Chinese student, also a first year in their university and is taking up Arts. He's friends with Jaemin, they share a class together, and suddenly they seem inseparable (which only lasted for a week though). Although they didn't act like they're the best "bff's" in the world (which relieved Donghyuck), but there's surely suspicious about this guy. Donghyuck always doubted his angelic face and shy and soft voice, and he made sure to act like a detective, and try to find out where's that suspicion coming from. (In which, after three days of stalking Renjun he gave up, because he can't find any!) (Though he made sure to always look up for signs in case the Chinese had something up his sleeves.) 

And the second case: Lee Jeno, a confidential file. Tall as Jaemin, bit on the muscular side, has crescent eyes and smug smile. Unfortunately, they're schoolmates and he's about their age, taking up Photography, had only been sharing one same class with Jaemin, and none with him, thankfully. If Renjun's suspicious, this Jeno guy is waaaay more suspicious. He's vegan, had cats at home, part of the dance team, and he had abs! If these weren't enough flags for Donghyuck then he don't know anymore. Unlike Renjun, he didn't even had to stalk Jeno's activities because it shows right on his profile. 

Once when Donghyuck and Jaemin were out on a weekend looking for a birthday gift for his mom, the devil just popped behind Jaemin, and they kept talking for an hour (it was only half an hour, but it most definitely felt like more than an hour for him) and left him in the background.

They shared this certain smile while talking, which burned Donghyuck's scalp as he suddenly want to lunge at both of them and punch Jeno, in the balls. Yes, he'd lunge at both of them but only punch Jeno. The idea was shuddering how he'd want to punch the guy, and of all the area it had to be... the balls. His conscience clicks his tongue at him but his defense was more or less, debatable. He told himself that the guy's muscular so he's obviously toned, so if there's any area to hit, it's that.

Anyways, he shuddered even just thinking about it, and as he did that, the two noticed him, fucking finally! Jeno left with a goodbye, added with the usual crescent eyes and smile. The two guys shared the same smile again, putting a very big question mark on Donghyuck's face.

He's suspicious, this he knew by heart. But even that suspicion couldn't comprehend half the fact of how oblivious he was of the unknown at that time. 

Donghyuck reached his dorm with a bitter soul after endlessly bad mouthing Jeno on the way there. Who wouldn't after having it automatically set in one's heart and mind to hate (read: dislike) a person. Even having to say that good-for-nothing-best-friend-stealing-muscular-vegan guy's name leaves a bitter taste on his tongue. He slumped on his desk and cried on his forearm, though it sounded forced and there's obviously no tears. Being so tired lately seemed not to be able to make him cry anymore. 

He flopped on his bed, still dressed on his uniform, the stink of college life sticking on his clothes that he's too unbothered to change at the moment. 

"Stupid feelings! Stupid Jaemin! And most of all - stupid Jeno!" He screamed as he buried his head on his mounts of pillows, letting out his frustrations lately to go away with his voice, but the frustration seemed to know its way back as it only echoed from the walls back to him.

He flipped and lied on his back, trying to even out his breathing and relax his mind from the stress that's been consuming him lately. And after a few minutes he decided to change his life from now on. Who's he kidding? He's only changing his clothes. 

He tried to study once again because that's the only thing that can make him stay focused and distracted at the same time. But his brain can't seem to accept any more of the lessons he's been studying on repeat, so he went to his desktop and tried to search for summaries and pointers of the topics for the exams. But even just reading the first line after clicking a reliable site, he seemed to know the words that follows after one. Who wouldn't? If you'd been studying and studying on repeat for weeks because you can't help yourself from the pining anymore, you'd probably memorize all your lessons already and possibly perfect the tests too!

With nothing to do, he opened another tab, and lazily scrolled through the timeline of his social media account, and was brought up to the post of his bestfriend— a picture of two ice cream being held by two (different, obviously) hands, and the caption read "Chill".

"Chill my ass." Donghyuck bitterly said to no one. He sighed for the nth time that day, feeling as deflated as ever, and if he was that ice cream, he'd melted a long time ago already. Or he could be a very frozen ice cream that could be used to stab on the back of that snake. 

He then visited a forum site he'd been enjoying, to read someone's post and its replies before he became busy with university life. There's this nagging feeling that wouldn't reside earlier, and was brought back to life the moment he saw Jaemin's post. He knew what this feeling was, but he's unable to speak the word without the word itself lashing Donghyuck's throat like a sharp blade. 

He was je-

He couldn't finish it. Not that he couldn't, he just didn’t want to admit it himself. 

Lately, if Donghyuck's not too defensive, then he's too denial. 

He sighed as he started writing up a post about his situation with Jaemin (insert Jeno). Although he already did this before, to ask anonymous people about his problem, which wasn't any serious and was only for the fun of it. (He asked in the forum if he should go with punching Jeno on the balls if he'd meet him again, and most of the answers were as ridiculous as the question.) 

Write a post:  
I have a bestfriend, and I liked this person since then. But I kept it as a secret until now. But lately there's this guy who keep talking and hanging out with my bestfriend, and I feel J about it. I don't know what I should do right now...|  
[ Cancel ] [ Post ]

The answers were already predictable. Yet, he still clicked 'post' and waited with a churning in his gut. 

It was during dinnertime when he decided to check the replies and see if something would humor him, just something that would lighten him up and make him able to swallow the instant ramen without tasting the guilt through it. 

He hummed to the answers he somehow predicted would appear, and he had a good laugh about some replies suggesting he should either poison the other guy, or hit him with his car (not possible: he neither knew how to drive, nor had he a car to do so), and some rude replies that earned him to choke on his food. He didn't even considered any of these, yet karma was sure instant.

But one comment caught his attention. 

melonsnleemons:  
Try confessing your feelings when his drunk and see how he’d react to it, lol maybe they’d forget what you said when they’re sober the next day :> 7:21pm

He swallowed hard the remaining of his dinner, as he was suddenly filled with curiosity— the feeling quite the opposite of just eating a meal. The noodles he just ate started transforming in the new form of curiosity, and it swirled in his stomach until it turned into nothingness.

As that what curiosity is about: it is nothing until it is filled, and it is nothing until it's known.


	2. A Sun Embracing the Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was scheduled for tomorrow but I might not be able to do so. So I posted in advance so this was not proofread so I'm sorry for the errors TT Short chapter ahead!

Jaemin doing the smallest thing would make Donghyuck's heart flutter. Like when he acts cute or giggles, or when he pinches Donghyuck's cheeks for no apparent reason. And he has the very urge to do the same thing, except that he doesn't. It required his every sense of control to stop himself from actually screaming right in front of Jaemin how much he liked him.

And it's worse when Jeno's around. It takes the urgency of willing himself to calm down to increase by a tenfold, if that's possible. Like if Jeno's around, he have this very urge to grab Jaemin and put a very big distance between them and Jeno. Or even when Jaemin roll calls Jeno's name he'd internally flinch and it makes him wanna bitch out and tell the boy to cut off ties with that person, for what reason, it's really obvious. But, for the many times he could have, he doesn't. He believes that he's a dignified person, and to keep up with that reputation he needs to restrain himself- physically, verbally, and emotionally. 

After that ice cream event, Donghyuck tried his best to avoid Jaemin in any way he could- physical contact, messaging, social media, and all forms that summons Na Jaemin in front of him. On a Thursday morning, he thought he could keep up the streak, but much to Donghyuck's hope, luck was also on the run avoiding him.

Jaemin couldn't be wrong about his best friend, just as his friend couldn't be wrong about him. As he was walking with Jeno on the way to school, he was sure it was Donghyuck walking ahead of them. And Donghyuck was so busy thinking and looking ahead that if he would just turn around he might have a sight worth a heart attack.

But he didn't need any of that, as Jaemin jogged up next to him. Keeping up the pace of his friend, he bent his body forward and called Donghyuck’s name because he seemed to be out of it. 

"Hey, Donghyuck." Donghyuck was cleared from his train of thoughts as a face appeared by his side at the level of his arm. It shocked him a lot, although shock was an understatement because he was really scared from that. It was evident from the look on his face, the way he screamed and clutched his heart. It scared the shit out of him because it took him more seconds to realize that it was only his friend.

"Jesus! Don't do that again!" Donghyuck was still clutching his heart (more like his shirt, because he can't actually do that, can he?) as he was trying to steady his breathing and recover from that sudden jump scare. In any occasion Jaemin would have laughed at his friend's reaction, but admittedly he's just as scarred as his friend _because why the hell was he so scared of me_ , and it almost offended Jaemin.

"Don't blame me." Jaemin started out as his friend seemed to have fully recovered from a heart attack. "You seemed to be so out of it. I've been calling you for like," he tried to count using his fingers "20 times already!"

Bullshit, Donghyuck thought. "Anyways, why are you here?" He countered, though that question sounded really ridiculous. "Duh, we go to the same school? You own the sidewalks now and we can't walk here anymore?" They both rolled their eyes at the same time and Donghyuck was about to start walking again when Jaemin grabbed his arm, which stopped him abruptly, not that he'd made a full step anyway. 

"Hey, the last time we saw each other was Monday and that's it, what happened to you?" Donghyuck looked at his best friend's eyes and it gleamed with the morning sun, a mixture of happiness and concern swirling in the hues of dark brown staring back at him. "I miss my best friend, you know?"

Donghyuck's breath hitched, and had a quick mental fight against himself of what he'd been putting up to be a total nonsense. He missed him too, more than he'd ever knew, more than he'd ever admit. But the moment was abrupt shortly, as Donghyuck's ears itched as he heard footsteps on the pavement. And he didn't have to move sideways, as he saw by the neck of his friend a Lee Jeno walking up to them. 

Each step resonated to Donghyuck's ear, probably how the ants feel when a human is walking right above them, like the movements were earth-shattering enough to crumble his resolve.

He peeled Jaemin off his arm in an annoyed manner. "Guess you were actually enjoying without me." Donghyuck mumbled, but his friend didn't catch on. If Jaemin's oblivious, then Jeno saw right through it. Jaemin clung to his friend's arm once again as he was starting to walk straight ahead. 

"Hyuckieee, why are you walking so fast? We haven't talked for days, let's have our best friend's day today." Jaemin whined, albeit happily clung to his best friend. He was smiling wide with the occasional pout when he's friend glared right through his eyes. How Jeno saw this though from behind- it's like the sun trying to embrace a storm. 

"Jae-" Donghyuck tried to peel him off, "-min, I'm gonna be late." he grumbled as he failed to do so. If he's annoyed with Jeno's appearance, then he's angry at how his friend couldn't saw right through his annoyance. Although Jaemin really wouldn't because this was nothing new to him, and this wasn't an unusual act from Donghyuck either. Jaemin couldn't see through the seething anger of Donghyuck towards Jeno, because why would he? They're all friends, with Renjun in tow too. But that's Jaemin's mistake, as Donghyuck would like to correct so much. Jeno was Jaemin's friend, not his. As if all those times spending lunch together already built a fine line of friendship between the two of them. Where in fact, there's nothing sacred about it.

If it’s only that easy, then Donghyuck wouldn’t have to act like this throughout his college life. But jealousy is hard to defeat when one couldn’t even admit to himself. For the rest of the week, he guessed he’ll have to come up with more excuses to hide himself again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise Mark will appear in the next chapter. And I may or may not post the next chapter on Sunday.


	3. The Party Invitation To Change Your Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Impulse writing at its finest TT and it was longer than I expected. I was hoping for around same length to make up for the short chapter previously. Anyways enjoy!!!

The examination week came and students are weary and dreadful about it. For some reason Donghyuck was nervous despite all the time he spent studying. That’s because he’s been distracted and emotionally constipated lately. To add on how tired he was for staying up late with all the overthinking and frustrations he’s been having about his friend, and to that friend of his. If only there’s some form of vent towards these feelings then maybe he can, for a day, feel lighter and unbothered by his own thoughts and feelings. But sadly he can’t even open up to his one and only friend, because it has something to do with that one and only friend.

Face palmed. That’s what he did as his first exam started. He needed to focus and he couldn’t let this distraction put away all his efforts preparing for this exam. First, he’d deal with this week, then he’d decide on what to do with his feelings for Jaemin. And what he’d do to dispose Jeno.

Seriously, he thought his humor sometimes was off the boat, and that gave him goosebumps. He knew it was only a joke, but if in any way he was verbal with these ideas then nobody would probably befriend him. And he’d probably lose his one and only friend along the way.

The day ended with grumpy and complaining students, and Lee Donghyuck was one of them. Not that he’s worried, but it’s just exams being naturally and fundamentally straining. Sitting down, agonizing, and searching up the brain for the right answers to the questions would take toll to anyone. If he’d fail these exams then he’d have Jaemin and Jeno and their precious ice cream moment to blame for.

Surprisingly he haven’t seen Jaemin or at least his shadow today. Not that he was waiting, though deep down he was also kinda hoping to see him after a very stressful day. It was complicated enough that he couldn’t actually decide if he really wanted to see his friend of not. But if anything, it would be that he wanted to see his friend but only his friend alone. No Lee Jeno behind or beside his precious Na Jaemin. It would boost his energy for the next day of the exams and he would probably sleep peacefully that night, too. Just one minute, he thought. Just a minute of seeing his best friend’s face, then it would be enough for him. Although he would be annoyed if he would see Jeno in tow, but if it helps he would probably just pretend that Jeno’s appearance doesn’t exist in their zone.

He met Jaemin (insert Lee Jeno and Huang Renjun) Wednesday that week. The morning exams were done and he was on his way to grab some lunch when Jaemin saw him.

“Hyuck!” Donghyuck heard his name being called across the hallway. He turned his head and without a doubt saw an angel waving at him. The background blurred and the light gave him the halo effect. Everything around Jaemin slowed down, except for one thing- Donghyuck’s heartbeat. Without thinking that much he started walking towards Jaemin like he had the gravitational pull that attracts Donghyuck towards him.

With every step, Donghyuck couldn’t find a way to stop himself being led towards Jaemin’s call. Not that he has any reason to stop from coming towards Jaemin’s call. For a moment he believed he’ll be able to reach him, through every step he could feel getting closer towards a chance he was hoping to have all his life. But he wasn’t feeling the distance by actual measurement, because if anyone can calculate how far or how near are we towards reaching the love of our lives then Donghyuck would run all the miles it would take to reach that finish line. An ending that is nowhere but at the same time just in front of him. If it was this close, this near, then what’s taking him so long to finish this race?

And so he thought that the finish line is at the tip of his grasp when the distance widens itself right in front of him. At that very instant he thought he was there then he knew he also wasn’t even there yet. Not even close.

It was at that moment that he saw Jeno behind Jaemin, and he thought how Jeno had a higher chance of reaching Jaemin before him. Donghyuck was the one in front of Jaemin but why does it felt like he was the one chasing him from behind.

The gap looms over like a tall building. And it seemed impossible to reach the end of it.

The cafeteria was packed with students. It was lunch time but textbooks were scattered on the tables instead of lunch trays. Pens and highlighters were being held instead of the utensils and chopsticks they usually use for eating. Graduation’s around the corner so most of the frantic students were the ones on their final year. Nonetheless most students were nervous just the same.

Donghyuck sighed as he was seated right beside Huang Renjun, while the view of Jaemin and Jeno was right in front of his salad. The three talked without noticing that someone was being left behind. Donghyuck ate his lunch without much thoughts on the food that’s in front of him, when his headspace was on the two persons sitting together right in front of him. It was a scene enough to lose his appetite.

“What an eyesore.” Donghyuck whispered under his breathe.

“What was that?” Renjun asked.

Donghyuck looked up and saw three pairs of eyes looking directly at him. He never thought Renjun to actually notice that remark. He was bummed feeling left out, but now he doesn’t know what to do that they’re starting to pay attention to them.

“You said something?” Renjun asked again when he didn’t say anything the first time he asked. _Damn this Renjun_ , Donghyuck thought.

“Oh, I said I hope for a better score.” Donghyuck lied as he started to pay attention to his food because he couldn’t stand more inquisition from them, especially Jaemin.

“Hyuck, you’ll surely do great! I know that because you’ve been ditching me to study harder.” Jaemin laughed while the rest of them were thinking of different things.

“Shut up. You don’t have to worry because you don’t have hard subjects.” Donghyuck rolled his eyes to his friend. “Well his subjects are quite harder than they look-” Jeno spoke but he stopped before finishing what he was gonna say. But strange how Donghyuck was kicked under the table. If it was Jeno who really kicked him, then he would go wild in that instant.

“Hyuck we’re all in college now, we all expect to have harder subjects than in high school. And even with the drama major I also have lots to study about. Hahaha!” Jaemin laughed but it was obviously not a genuine laugh, and it irked Donghyuck how his friend is behaving at the moment.

Just when Donghyuck was about to make up an excuse to leave that table, a group of students sat with them at their table. They looked older than the four of them and Donghyuck was suddenly nervous that they might gonna be bullied by some college seniors.

“Hey Jeno.” The man sitting next to Donghyuck greeted the person sitting in front of him. Donghyuck looked at the person beside him when that person looked at him too. The older guy gave him a suspicious smile and he doesn’t like the look of it. He was getting goosebumps but he froze up when the stranger put his arm on his shoulder. He was bad at making friends and he sucked at socializing.

“Hey Jaemin.” The same guy greeted his friend with a nod, while he sat there like a statue not knowing what to do in that situation.

Donghyuck tried to observe without making any movement. The person right next to him seems to be a very tall person, and he definitely looked much older than they were. And also two strangers sat right next to Jeno and Jaemin. They were also guys, but they look a lot younger than the person right beside him. The one sitting next to Jaemin seems to be older than him but at the same time younger than the person beside him. He looks smaller than Donghyuck himself, probably just around the same height as Renjun, the other person beside him. Although he looked a little bit foreign to be Korean.

“Hello hyung, these are my friends- Renjun and Donghyuck.” Jeno spoke as he introduced him and Renjun to the strangers.

“Donghyuck huh? My name is Johnny, nice to meet you buddy.” The person beside him looked at him with a smirk on his face, and it made Donghyuck’s face to heat up to the sudden embarrassment he was feeling.

“These are my friends. His name is Ten, he’s Thai but he can speak Korean very well.” Donghyuck and Renjun bowed to the person beside Jaemin. Not Jeno of course, the other person on the other side of Jaemin.

“And this one is Mark, he’s a second year student. He’s Korean but he grew up in Canada.” Donghyuck looked up to the person beside Jeno.

For some reason that person named Mark couldn’t look up directly at them, though he greeted him with confident voice. For a brief moment their eyes met and for the second time that day he felt embarrassed for unknown reasons. Surely that guy also looked somewhere else after their short eye contact. If anything Donghyuck wanted to leave this table more than he’d ever felt a few minutes ago.

“Jaemin, I’ll be hosting a party at my house this Friday. Make sure to come, and you’re invited too.” Johnny looked at both of Donghyuck and Renjun with a smile. “I won’t take no for an answer, and it’s kind of a farewell party so it’s best that we blast it right after the last day of the exams.” Johnny said adding more details about the party as he talked to Jeno and Jaemin.

“Farewell party? Are you leaving hyung?” Jaemin asked.

“Oh, you knew how Johnny was supposed to graduate already but had to stop because of his business. Now that he’s graduating, he needs to go back to U.S. already.” Ten said as he answered Jaemin’s questions.

“That’s right, so that’s why all of you should come. Especially you Donghyuck.” Johnny smirked and winked at him that only confused Donghyuck so much. _Why is he expecting that I would come? And why is he talking like someone was actually expecting for me to come? This hyung is creeping me out!_

Donghyuck spaced out with all the thoughts he was having at the moment.

“Anyways we should go now so you can continue your lunch. Make sure to come on Friday, you know the place!” Johnny shouted as they were walking away from their table.

Donghyuck looked at the strange trio walking away. They all look like the cool kids from the high school as he was looking at their backs. When he was about to look away, Mark looked back at them and caught his eyes. He looked away immediately and felt the heat crawling up to his face.

Conversation went on at that table, but he couldn’t keep up because his mind was so full that he couldn’t think properly. His heart was beating so fast that he felt like it was on the verge of exploding. He didn’t know how to socialize that much but he also couldn’t figure out how and why he was feeling so embarrassed that much with the new people he just met.

“Hyuck. Hyuck! You’re coming to the party right? Don’t’ say no I will pick you up on Friday.” Jaemin said to Donghyuck who seemed to only be picking up what he said.

“Party? I’ll ask my parents first.” Donghyuck wasn’t totally in the right mind at the moment as he wasn’t able to properly listen to the conversation right in front of him.

This party is the last thing Donghyuck needed to be distracted with the rest of their exams. And Johnny creeping him out only added to his confusion, but that Mark, there’s something about him that he couldn’t explain. But thinking about him suddenly makes him embarrassed again.

Donghyuck thought of graduating already to get out of this college life that’s confusing him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last parts were a bit jumbled, there were lots of things happening at the same time at that last scene but I couldn't put them all in this chapter ~~~ I hope you enjoyed, next chapter this Saturday :>


End file.
